


The Knack

by Ransomedbard



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Gen, light humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ransomedbard/pseuds/Ransomedbard
Summary: Everyone knows Trowa has a knack for animals - except Hilde’s cat, who ignores him completely. After running out of ideas, he turns to Duo for advice.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	The Knack

Evening found Trowa and Duo making their way down the hill toward the train station. Languid August air, with just a touch of heat left to it kept them warm; an occasional early leaf crunched underfoot. It was late and the houses had gone dark, but streetlights dotted the road with pools of yellow light. 

Presently Trowa was improvising a path along the top of a retaining wall which kept the front yards on this street from spilling down after a hard rain. The wall itself was wide enough to pose little challenge, but that same width made it an attractive place to mount a mailbox or set potted plants, so Trowa's strides occasionally became uneven and punctuated with little jumps. 

On some nights Duo attempted to follow Trowa's acrobatic meanderings; tonight he contented himself with keeping pace with his shadow on the sidewalk. 

Trowa broke their companionable silence with a complaint. 

"Hilde's cat doesn't like me." 

"Macavity? I'm not sure he 'likes' anybody. When Hilde found out that 'junkyard cat' wasn't just an invective, but an actual classification of critter here on Earth, she immediately set her sights on rescuing one and Macavity is the result. I'm confident the three square meals a day and other domestic comforts of Chateau Schbeiker exceed those of his former lot in life, but I don't know that Macavity's dignity ever recovered from being unceremoniously trapped, bathed, and snipped." Duo's hand flourished straight up with a scissors motion of his fingers. "He's a grump." 

"The problem is not that he doesn't like people, more that he particularly _dis_ likes me. I was once again exclusively ignored for the better part of three hours." 

"Come now, even you can't hit it off with every animal you meet. I recall Noin's new dog didn't seem all that fond of you." 

"Blueberry? She'll come around. She's at least half greyhound, and they're always wary around strangers, which I still am as I've only met her twice. But Hilde's hosted game night a half-dozen times now and I haven't made an inroad, while as you…" Trowa ran out of retaining wall and sentence at the same time, dropping lightly back to the sidewalk. 

"You're jealous," Duo replied, gloating. "You're jealous that Macavity gets up on my lap." 

"Yes. Unreasonably so." 

"You could resort to bribery." 

Trowa shot his friend a derisive look. "Do you think I'm above it? Because you'd be quite mistaken. But to come clean, I've tried treats the last two times - tonight was a bit of whitefish, cooked of course - but he ignored me just the same." 

"Ah, well," Duo said knowingly, "he's a rather skinny fellow, I suppose I should have guessed that wouldn't work. Perhaps something in the catnip line?" 

"Already asked Hilde, she said he just licks at it and spits it out; makes an awful mess on the carpet." 

"No good, then. And I already know you've tried in vain to engage his interest in that one feather-on-a-stick toy Hilde leaves out - a bit cruel of her as she knows he couldn't care less about it." 

"Ah, you are rather in a pickle," Duo conceded, slowing his steps. "Your reputation as an animal whisperer could even be brought into doubt." He stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Trowa. "So, what is it worth to you?" 

"'What is it worth?'" repeated Trowa, uncomprehending. 

"Exactly - what would you pay to have the elusive Macavity sit on your lap? There's a knack to it that I'd be willing to share - for a fee, of course. I'm a part-time information broker, after all." 

"What do you want?" 

"Oh, I'm not in need of anything at the moment. I was thinking more that I wouldn't mind being owed a favor by the esteemable Mr. Barton." 

Trowa regarded his friend with open scepticism. Duo didn't do anything illegal, exactly - didn't get _caught_ doing anything illegal, at any rate - but he wasn't a person to cavalierly extend a blank check to. 

"Is this a 'pay my bar tab' sort of favor, or a 'come fly me out of Barbados with 12 hours' notice' sort of favor?" 

"Why not both?" replied Duo, clearly enjoying Trowa's discomfort for a moment before waving him off. "Oh, stop making that face. Let's say whatever it is shall be minor and the squeaky-cleanest of favors, with nary a risk to your honor involved. Deal?" 

"Or your next bar tab," Trowa offered. 

"Or my next bar tab, whichever comes first," Duo agreed gamely, making a mental note not to go drinking with Trowa. They shook hands. 

"All right. Tell me." 

"Did you notice I sat in the old leather recliner tonight?" 

"No. What of it?" 

"In fact I've sat there every time we've gone. I get there early just to be sure of it." 

"It's your spot, I suppose. I don't see the connection." 

"Actually it's _his_ spot. He sleeps there day and night. He leaves it to go hide when people come over, but his misanthropy isn't quite strong enough to overcome his love of that old chair. I rather suspect that when it comes down to it, he considers himself still sitting on the recliner, and whoever's lap is in the way is just an inconvenience." 

Trowa swore. 

"Now now," Duo chided, draping an arm over the taller man's shoulder. "A bargain's a bargain! And I'll even be so good as to save the seat for you next time - but only this once. You'll have to get there before me after that, unless you'd like to owe me another favor…" 


End file.
